Apparatus for spinning filaments



Jan. 25, 1966 W. H. DAVIS, JR

Filed June 25, 1962 INVENTOR WALTER H. DAVIS, Jr.

United States Patent O 3,230,972 APPARATUS FR SPINNING FILAMENTS WalterH. Davis, Jr., Decatur, Ala., assiguor to Monsanto Company, acorporation of Delaware Filed .lune 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,745 Claims.(Cl. 137-604) This invention relates to apparatus for spinning filamentsand more particularly to apparatus for combining two spinning solutionsto obtain conjugate laments from conventional spinnerettes.

It is Well lrnown that conjugate spinnerettes are expensive anddifficult to manufacture. It is also known that conventional conjugatespinnerettes are, because of construction, limited to a fairly lownumber of spinning orifices. With this in mind, one of the objects ofthis invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus for combiningtwo streams of fluid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for combining aplurality of spinning solutions for producing conjugate filaments from aconventional spinnerette.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for combiningtwo polymer streams wherein a large stream of a first polymer is brokendown into smaller streams and streams of a second polymer are combinedwith the small streams of the first polymer.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device forinjecting small streams of one spinning solution into small streams ofanother spinning solution for conjugate spinning from a conventionalspinnerette.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates a device forcombining two spinning solutions wherein an enlarged insert positionedin a large stream `of a first spinning solution is provided with aplurality of longitudinal grooves through which the first solutionflows, thereby separating the large stream into a plurality of smallerstreams. A manifold extends around the insert and is provided with aplurality of orifices aligned with the grooves in the insert for feedingsmall streams of a second spinning solution into the small streams ofthe first. The combined small streams are brought together to form alarge stream which is fed to a conventional spinnerette. Because of thehigh viscosity and low flow rate of the spinning solutions the combinedstreams flow in a laminar manner to the spinnerette. Some of thefilaments formed by the spinnerette are of one composition, others areof the other composition and the remainder are conjugate.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunctionwith the appended drawing, in which FIGURE l is a cross sectional viewof one embodiment of the invention showing the general arrangement ofthe various elements of the device,

FIGURE 2 is .a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1showing the construction of a manifold which injects streams of onespinning solution into streams of another,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the insert which separates a largestream of spinning solution into a plu rality of smaller streams, and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on line 4 4 of FIGURE1 showing the combined streams of spinning solution.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a housing 11 having an openingor chamber 12 extending therethrough is shown connected by a pipe 13 toa first source 14 of spinning solution, the pipe 13 communicating withthe chamber 12. The opening or chamber 12 has a cylinice drical centralportion and frustoconical end portions for receiving an insert 18 ofsimilar configuration.

The insert 18, which has a cylindrical central portion and conical endportions, is provided with a plurality of longitudinal flanges 19 whichextend from one end of the insert to the other, the flanges 19 defininggrooves 20 through which the spinning solution from the source 14 flows.The flanges 19 separate the large stream of spinning solution flowingfrom the pipe 13 into a plurality of much smaller lstreams, thesesmaller streams flowing through the grooves 20 defined by the flanges19.

A second spinning solution is fed from a source 24 through an inlet port25 to a circular manifold 28 mounted in the housing 11 and encirclingthe cylindrical central portion of the insert 18. The manifold isprovided with a plurality of orifices 29, each of which is aligned withone of the grooves 2l) in the insert 18 for injecting thereint-o streamsof spinning solution from the source 24.

Because of the very high viscosities and the very low rate of flow ofthe spinning solutions, the fiow of the v combined streams is laminar.In other words, the streams join each other an-d flow together but donot mix. FIGURE 4 shows the cross 'sectional configurations of thecombined streams, the area 30 being spinning solution from the firstsource 14 and the area lvbeing spinning solution from the source 24. Theline 32 is the line of demarcation between the two spinning solutions.

The combined small streams flowing through the grooves 20 are combinedinto a larger stream at the right end (FIGURE l) of the insert 18 andare fed through a pipe 35 to a spinnerette 36 of a well known typehaving a large number of spinning orifices (not shown). While the areas30 and 3l and the line 32 may change configurations slightly during thetransition from the chamber 12 to the pipe 35, there will besubstantially no mixing of the two spinning solutions.

The combined streams reach the spinnerette 36 and pass through theorifices therein to form filaments. The area 30 passes through thespinnerette orifices to form filaments of one composition, while thearea 31 passes through the spinnerette orifices to form filaments ofanother composition. Conjugate filaments will be formed from thespinnerette orifices intersected by the line 32, since some of eachspinning solution will be flowing through each of these orifices.

Thus, the bundle of filaments found at the spinnerette will have threetypes of filaments; filaments of the first spinning composition,filaments of the second spinning composition, and conjugate filaments ofboth compositions. If the two spinning compositions have differentshrinkage characteristics, a subsequent annealing operation will crimpor curl the conjugate filaments. When the conjugate filaments take on acurled or wavy configuration the remaining filaments in the bundle willbe deflected from their normal linear configurations by the curls in theconjugate filaments. These crimps or curls in the conjugate filamentsalso serve to hold the remaining filaments together in the bundle. Thus,a relatively small number of conjugate filaments, when annealed, serveto maintain the integrity and appearance of the bundle of filaments.This is extremely important, since tow which splits or separates usuallycauses difiiculties in subsequent processing.

While the device of the present invention can be used in conjugatespinning operations, it can also be used to inject a pigment into aspinning solution. The pigment is injected into the spinning solutionthrough the orifices 29 in the manifold 28 and the combined streams arefed to a mixer (not shown) which disperses the pigment in the spinningsolution. The advantage of 3 this device over conventional pigmentinjectors is that a number of small streams of pigment, rather than onelarge stream, are injected into the spinning composition. This insures abetter dispersion in the subsequent mixing operation.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein is merelyillustrative land that this embodiment can be altered or amended andthat numerous other embodiments can be contemplated Without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for combining a plurality of iiuid streams, comprising ahousing having an opening therethrough for the passage of a first fluid,an element mounted in said opening in contact with the wall of saidopening and having in the surface there-of a plurality of groovesthrough which said first fluid ows, and a manifold mounted in thehousing and extending around the element, said manifold having therein aplurality of orifices aligned with said grooves for discharging a secondfluid thereinto.

2. A. device for combining -a plurality of fiuid streams, comprising ahousing having therein ,an elongated opening for the flow of a firstfluid, an elongated element mounted in the opening and having thereon aplurality of longitudinal flanges dening grooves through which the4first fluid flows, said longitudinal iianges extending to and being incontact with the wall of the opening, and a manifold mounted on thehousing and encircling the element, said manifold having therein aplurality of orifice's aligned with said grooves for discharging streamsof a second fiuid thereinto.

3. A device for combining a plurality of fluid streams, comprising ahousing having therein an opening f-or the passage of a first fluid, anelement mounted in said opening in Contact with the Wall of said openingand having therein a plurality of openings through which said firstfluid flows, a first fiui-d supply connected to said opening, a manifoldmounted on the housing and having therein a plurality of passagewayscommunicating with the openings in the element, and a second fluidsupply connected to the manifold.

4. A device for combining a plurality of fluid streams, comprising ahousing having therein an elongated opening for the passage of a firstfluid', an element mounted in said opening, said element having acylindrical central portion and conical ends,y said element also havingthereon `a plurality of longitudinal flanges defining grooves throughwhich said first fiuid flows, said flanges extending to and being incontact with the Wall of the opening, and a circular manifold mounted onthe housing iu a positionV encircling the cylindrical portion of theelement, lsaid manifold having therein -a plurality of orificescommunicating with the grooves in the element for discharging streams-of a second iiuid into said grooves.

5. A device for combining a plurality of iiuid streams, comprising ahousing having an opening therein for the passage of a first fluid, saidopening having a cylindrical central portion and tapered end portions,an element mounted in said opening and having thereon a plurality oflongitudinal flanges extending to Walls formed by said openings, :saidfianges defining grooves through which said first iiuid ows, and acircular manifold mounted around the cylindrical portion of said openingand having therein a plurality of orifices communicating with thegrooves in the element for discharging streams of a second iiuid intosaid grooves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Kunz 239-502 XISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM I. ,STEPI-IENSON, Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR COMBINING A PLURALITY OF FLUID STREAMS, COMPRISING AHOUSING HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH FOR THE PASSAGE OF A FIRST FLUID,AN ELEMENT MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING IN CONTACT WITH THE WALL OF SAIDOPENING AND HAVING IN THE SURFACE THEREOF A PLURALITY OF GROOVES THROUGHWHICH SAID FIRST FLUID FLOWS, AND A MANIFOLD MOUNTED IN THE HOUSING ANDEXTENDING AROUND THE ELEMENT, SAID MANIFOLD HAVING THEREIN A PLURALITYOF ORIFICES ALIGNED WITH SAID GROOVES FOR DISCHARGING A SECOND FLUIDTHEREINTO.